Coconut paring machine

ABSTRACT

A paring machine designed to impart dual rotation to an object to be pared whereby the object is rotated simultaneously about two perpendicular axes of rotation at different speeds and contacted with a cutting device. The machine consists of four principal assemblies: 1) feeding and positioning device; 2) assembly adapted to receive, grip, rotate and eject the object to be pared; 3) stationary cutter assembly for removing the skin of the object as the object rotates; 4) programming and pneumatic control means for actuating the assemblies in the proper step sequence and time durations.

United States Patent 11 1 Pails 4 1 July 10, 1973 COCONUT PARING MACHINE3,173,336 3/1965 Cull; 90/1s.1 [75] Inventor: Julian 0. Palis, San PabloCity, I Q

Philippines Primary Exammer--.W1ll1e G. Abercromb1e Att0rney Bruno P.Struzzi, Thomas V. Sullivan et al. [73] Assignee: General FoodsCorporatlon, Wh1te r 1 v Plains, N.Y. v 22 F1 d J 9 1971 [57] ABSTRACT ll m A paring machine designed to impart dual rotation to PP N 151,403 anobject to be pared whereby the object is rotated simultaneouslyabout'two perpendicular axes of rotation 52 -u.s'. C1. 99/595 differentspeeds and with a cutting device- [51] 1111. c1 A23n 7/00 The machineconsists 'fo Principal assemblies 1) [58] Field 61 Search 146/7" 43 A 43R- feeding and psitining device; 2) assembly adapted to 242/3. 44/4 6receive, grip, rotate and eject the object to be pared; 3) stationarycutter assembly for'removing the skin of the [56] Reerences Cited objectas the object rotates; 4) programming and pneu- UNITED STATES PATENTS Imatic control means for actuating the assemblies in the V w proper stepsequence and timedurations. 1,951,804 1 3 1934 MacDougall "146/7 I ,72,562,756 7/1951 Weston et al 242/3 10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figlires' T 22/ 22 l I I I (5' 1/ o 9 g L. 0' n 27 4 1 4 1- I J 319 i 1 A A I I I R w3 9/ i /8 l 3 70 3/ I IL32 Ii za I 9 -17.;

PATENIED JUL 1 0 I975 smnnra INVENTOR. JUL lA/va. PAL/5 177M}. 72%ATTORNEY COCONUT PARING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In preparingcoconuts for use, the usual procedure is to first remove the husk, thento remove the hard shell and finally peel off the tough brown skin whichforms a protective covering for the meat. These steps have traditionallybeen carried out by a manual operation whereby the shell is split andthe brown skin'cut or shaved from the meat body. However, the manualoperation is necessarily slow and a large number of skilled workers arerequired in order to meet even modest production goals. In addition,extreme care must be exercised in the separation of the brown skin fromthe meat to minimize the amount of white meat taken with the skin.

Various processes and machines have been devel-' oped to mechanize theshelling operation. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,340,918 disclosesmachine and process for effectively separating the shell from the bodyportion of a coconut, leaving the meat body with the brown skin tightlyadhered thereto. Thereafter, the brown skin may then be removed eithermanually or by a mechanized paring operation.

There are several machines in the prior art designed to pare brown skinfrom the surface of a shelled coconut. Most of these devices involve atwo step operation wherein the shelled nut is secured by gripping meansat one end while the other end is exposed to a cutting or paring device.The process is then reversed with the nut being secured at the pared endwhile the opposite end is subjected tothe paring operation; Cf. U.S.Pat. Nos. l,490,493; 1,503,390; l,95l,804; and 2,044,418. Anothermachine of the prior art operates bymoving the shelled coconut to fourstations where the nut is contacted with a series of overlapping discknives until paring is completed; Cf. U.S. Pat. No. 2,862,534. These andother paring devices have not met with commercial success because theiroperation has not proved to be economically feasible. The fact is thatup to the present time almost all coconuts are paredcommercially by themanual method.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a process forperforming work on the surface of a rounded'or generally symmetricalthree dimensional object in a single continuous operation whereby theentire surface of the object is exposed to a given work operation. Thisis' accomplished by simultaneously subjecting the object to rotationalmotion in two directions about mutually perpenyieldingly mounted,stationary cutting device while the fruit is rotating.

The invention will be particularly described using the embodimentwherein the work object is a husked coconut. However, it is emphasizedthat the invention is equally applicable where the work object is anyround or generally symmetrical fruit or vegetable having a thin skin tobe pared such as a turnip, citrus fruit, apple and the like. Theinvention is also applicable for operations other than the paring offruit or vegetables. For example, other rounded or generally symmetricalobjects may be subjected to etching or polishing operations by using themachine of this invention and substituting a suitable tool for thecutting device used to pare fruit or vegetables.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The Drawings Referring now to thedrawings, FIG. 1 is a side partial elevation view of the machine. FIG. 2is a plan section view showing the left section of the nut holderassembly and drive mechanism. FIG.

dicular axes of rotation and contacting the rotating surface of theobject with a workpiece.

This invention also relates to a novel machine for performing work onthe surface of a rounded or generally symmetrical object. In particular,this invention relates to a machine designed to grip and simultaneouslyrotate a rounded or generally symmetricalthree dimensional object abouttwo mutually perpendicular axes of rotation and subject the surface ofsaid object to a work operation while it is rotating.

More specifically, this invention is directed toward a process andmachine for removing skin or peelings from fruit, such as a coconut,whereby the fruit is simultaneously rotated about two mutuallyperpendicular axes of rotation, and the surface contacted with a 2A isapartial sectional view of shifter spool 56.

FIG. 3 is an elevation view showing opening and closing mechanism of nutholder assembly,

FIG. 4 is a side view of the rotary live cutter assembly.

The machine consists of four principal assemblies or mechanisms: (A)feeding'and positioning device; (B) nut holder assembly for gripping,rotating-and ejecting the coconut; (C) stationary cutter assembly forremoving the brown skin of the nut; (D) programming and pneumaticcontrol means for actuating the assemblies in the proper. step sequenceand timedurations.

Referring to FIG. 1, the de-shelled whole coconut with brown skin isplaced on feeder chute l. A plurality of nuts may by placed on the chuteone after the other. Belowthis is feeding device 2 mounted forhorizontal movement and actuated by air cylinder 3. At the beginning ofthe feeding stroke the annular opening of feeding device 2 aligns withthe annular opening of the feeder chute 1 causing the nut to dropthrough both openings to rest on the top of the machine frame 4. At theend of the feeding stroke the nut is gravity fed through an annularopening in frame 4 positioned directly over nut holder drive rolls 5, 6,7 and 8 which are in the open position. The nutcomes to rest on the fourbase drive rolls 6 and 7.

The nut holder drive rolls comprise 4 pairs of tapered disc shaped rollsarranged in an octahedral configuration, each pair being rotatably shaftmounted on. supporting members 9. The two left pairs of drive rolls areshown mounted on supporting member 9 in FIGS. 1 and 3. The right driverolls'are mounted in the same fashion. Each pair of drive rolls consistsof two discs having inwardly tapered circumferences. The discs are shaftspaced such that they roughly conform to the sur face of the object tobe pared. The left andright disc supporting members, of which only leftmember 9 is shown, are pivotally mounted on nut holder assembly frames10 and 11 at the bearing shaft of lower drive rolls 6' and 7. Balancingweights l2 and 13 are also attached to nut holder assembly'frames 10 and11 to provide for smooth operation as the entire nut holder assemblyrotates.

' The nut holder drive rolls are pivotally opened and closed throughspring biased clevis l4 linked with supporting members 9. Clevis 14 isin turn linked with nut holder opening and closing rods 15a & 15b, shownin FIG. 2, which are actuated by air cylinders 16 and 17 through nutclosing and release linkages l8 and 19.

Nut holder assembly frames and 11 are rotatably mounted on machine frame4 through the nut holder assembly drive shafts. Only left drive shaft 20is shown. Driving power comes from electric motor 21, magnetic clutchand brake 22, speed reducer 23, roller chain drive 24, common shaft 25,silent chain drives 26 and 27, and silent chain sprockets 28 and 29which are rigidly attached to the nut holder assembly drive shafts.

The live cutter assembly 30, discussed in more detail in FIG. 4, isshaft mounted by the cutter drive assembly holder 31 to pivot with shaft32 actuated by air cylinder 33 and connecting linkage 34 for engagingand retracting the cutter assembly.

The mechanical movement of all working parts is coordinated by pneumaticcontrol panel 35 and programming circuitry 36.

FIG. 2 is a plan section view showing the left section of the nut holderassembly and drive mechanism in greater detail. Nut holder assembly 10as shown is rigidly attached to nut holder assembly drive shaft 30,which is mounted for rotation on ball bearing flanged units 37a and 37b.Left upper drive rolls 5 are shown with short, for example one-sixteenthinch, spikes embedded in the tapered surfaces. These spikes preventslippage of the coconut as it turns. The drive rolls are powered bymeans of worm 38 rigidly attached to drive roll main shaft 39 and wormgear 40 rigidly attached to gear and sprocket shaft 41. Drive roll mainshaft 39 and worm 38 are held fixed within the rotating nut holderassembly drive shaft 30 such that driving motion is im parted to gearand sprocket shaft 41 by the rotation of gear 40 around fixed worm 38.Gear and sprocket shaft 41 in turn powers nut holder drive shaft 42through drive sprocket 43, chain 44 and drive roll sprocket 45.

Inside the nut holder assembly drive shaft 20 are nut holder opening andclosing rods a and 15b and drive roll main shaft 39. At one end of39'elements 15a and 15b are linked. to the upper drive roll linkage andclevis 14. At the other end is a fixed shifter spool 56 of nut openingand release linkage 18. Shifter spool 56, shown in FIG. 2A, is acylindrical piece where elements 15a and 15b are rigidly connected. Ithas also a center hole from which element 39 protrudes. The centralcircumferal area of the cylinder is grooved. Over the groove is bushing57 where linkage 18 is connected. During the machine operation,shifterspool 56 rotates along with rods 15a and 15b and drive shaft while theshifter spool bushing 57 and linkage 18 remain fixed. Drive roll mainshaft 39 is held fixed within rotating nut holder assembly drive shaft20.

The pivoting of drive rolls occurs through horizontal motion of nutholder opening and closing rods 15a and 15b linked to spring biasedclevis 14 which is in turn linked to left supporting member 9. Thislinkage is shown in more detail in FIG. 3.

Although only the left section of the nut holder assembly and drivemechanism is shown in FIG. 2, the

same parts and relationship of parts is associated with sition. The openposition is shown by the dotted lines and occurs by actuation of aircylinder 16 on linkage 18, rods 15a and 15b, clevis 14, and drive rollshaft supporting member 9. Also shown is drive roll main shaft 39 withinnut holder assembly drive shaft 20, worm 38, worm gear 40 and clevis.14. The drive rolls are powered by a chain drive operating throughshaft sprockets 46a and46b located on the respective drive roll shaftsand idler sprockets 47a and 47b mounted on drive roll shaft supportingmember 9. Also shown is coconut C held within the drive rolls beingoperated upon by live cutterassembly disc 52, explained in more detailin FIG. 4. Although only the left nut holder actuating assembly isshown, the same parts, assembly and driving mechanism are associatedwith the right nut holder assembly.

It is preferred to incorporate a paring time compensator potentiometer48 (shown in FIGS. 1 and 3) which is mechanically linked to holder shaftto extend or retard the length of time the cutter engages the coconut toprevent incomplete paring or overlapping. This device operates inconjunction with a solid state adjustable time delay relay. Element 48is a wire-woven rotary potentiometer. The resistor of the potentiometeris connected in series with a timing relay. As shown in the drawings, asmall pulley is directly connected to the shaft of the potentiometer.The pulley and potentiometer are fixed to the nut opening and closinglinkage .18. A small wire and coil spring is connected to the stationaryelement 39 and the other end is wrapped around the pulley. Traversemovement of elements 15a and 15b will rotate the pulley andpotentiometer, thereby varying the electrical resistance in series withthe timing relay. When a larger nut is gripped by the drive rolis,element 18 moves backward thereby rotating the potentiometer to add moreelectrical resistance in series with the timing relay. The additionalresistance lengthens the time of actual engagement of the cutter withthe nut. Paring a smaller nut will correspondingly shorten the time ofactual cutter engagement with the nut.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the rotary live cutter assembly 30. Theassembly is mounted as depicted and explained in FIG. 1. The assemblycomprises cutter drive motor 49, self aligning drive motor holder 50,flexible drive shaft 51 and attached thereto rotary cutting disc 52.Preferably disc 52 is a 1 inch diameter disc having a sharp serratededge. Flexible drive shaft 51 is stabilized by shaft guides 53a attachedto the drive motor housing and 53b attached to self aligning rotarycutter holder 54. These shaft guides loop around flexible drive shaft 51and prevent lateral motion of the drive shaft. Self aligning rotarycutter holder 54 is mounted on shaft 32 along with the cutter assemblyholder 31 as shown in FIG. 1 such that holder 54 and cutter 30 pivottogether on shaft 32. The depth of cut into the surface of coconut C iscontrolled by setting adjustable paring thickness guide 55 which followsthe contour of the nut, with respect to the desired protrusion of thecircular cutting disc.

MACHINE OPERATION 5 and 8 are pulled backwards by air cylinders 16 and17 through linkage 18, shifter spool 56 rods a and 15b, and clevis 14.The pivot of drive rolls is at the bearing shafts of drive rolls 6 and 7attached to nut holder frames 10 and 11 respectively. The drive rollsthen close gripping the nut slightly. The closing occurs by a release ofair cylinders 16 and 17 and the action of a tension spring linkingclevis 14 to nut holder supporting frame 9. This mechanism for the leftnut holder assembly is shown in FIG. 2.

Subsequent to the gripping of the nut by the drive rolls, the nut holderassemblies mounted on nut holder assembly frames 10 and 11 rotate atabout 60 rpm on the drive shafts. Left drive shaft 20 is shown in FIGS.2 and 3. As the entire nut holder assembly rotates, the drive rolls alsorotate slowly powered by the action of stationary worm 38 on worm gear40, which revolves with the nut holder assemblies. The rotation of thedrive rolls turns the nut which is centrally positioned among the 8drive rolls and gripped by the short spikes embedded in the taperedsurfaces of the drive rolls. The drive rolls are set to rotate at aspeed such that the coconut rotates at about 2 rpm. At this point thecoconut is being subject to rotation in two different directions abouttwo approximately mutually perpendicular axes of rotation. One axis isthe-axis of rotation of the nut holder assemblies 10 and 11; the otheraxis is the axis of rotation of coconut as it is being turned by thedrive rolls. The axes of rotation do not necessarily intersect inasmuchas the axis of rotation of the nut holder assembly may lie on a planeparallel to and outside of the plane on which the axis of rotation ofthe coconut is located. Regardless of whether these axes lie on the sameor different planes however, these axes form an angle of about 90 whentransposed to intersect. Thus, the term perpendicular refers to thosesituations where the axes actually intersect as well as the situationwhere they intersect when transposed.

As indicated above, the preferred relative rates of rotation are 60 rpm.for the nut holder assembly and 2 rpm. for the coconut, or a 30:1 ratio.This relative ratio of rotation may be varied depending upon the natureof the work operation, size of the cutter disc and smoothness or contourof the work object by choosing the proper gear ratios between worm gear40 and fixed worm 38. With respect to the paring of a coconut, the mosteffective paring is accomplished when the nut holder assembly is set torotate within the range of 30 to 90 rpm. and the coconut set to rotatewithin the range of l to 3 rpm.

After a delay of a few seconds from the time the nut holder assembliesand drive rolls begin to rotate, cutter disc 52, driven by high speedcutter drive motor 49 through flexible shaft 51, and cutter guide 55engage the surface of the rotating coconut slightly by actuation of aircylinder 33 through connecting linkage 34 and shaft 32. The cutter isset to operate at about 8,000 rpm. The cutter guide is designed toenable the rotating cutter disc to remove the brown skin of the nut evenif there are small cracks or holes on he nut surface. The nut need notbe perfectly centered within the drive rolls as the cutter assembly isyieldingly mounted to follow the contour or eccentricities of therevolving nut.

The initial out after contact of the cutting disc with the nut surfaceis a circumferal stripe which broadens into an X-shaped cut as theoperation proceeds. The nut is half pared in opposite quadrants afteronequarter revolution of the nut, and, completely pared after one-halfrevolution of the nut. Thus, at speeds of 60 rpm. for the nut holderassembly and 2 rpm. for the nut, the nut is completely pared in 15seconds actual paring time.

After the nut is completely pared, the cutter and cutter assemblydisengage the nut surface. While the nut holder assembly is revolving,the left and right nut holder drive rolls open and the pared coconut isdischarged by gravity. The nut holder assembly then stops with the driverolls in open and upright position ready to receive another coconut.

The operational sequence is controlled by a step switch, electronictimers and relays such that the machine operates in the followingsequence.

l. Feeder moves forward feed one coconut.

2. Nut holder closes nut is gripped by drive rolls.

3. Holder rotates nut holder assembly and coconut rotate.

4. Cutter engages nut cutter starts paring action.

5. Cutter disengages nut paring action stops.

6. Nut holder opens pared nut is discharged. 1

7. Nut holder stops holder stops ending paring cycle.

Various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art in theconfiguration and disposition of the component elements going to make upthe invention as a whole, as well as the use to which the machine isput, and no limitation is intended by the phraseology of the foregoingspecification or illustrations in the accompanying drawings, except asindicated in the appended claims.

What [claim is:

1. A machine suitable for performing work on the surface of a threedimensional object having a curved surface comprising a first meansadapted to hold and rotate said object about a first axis, said firstmeans carried by and incorporated into a second means adapted to rotatesaid first means and said object about a second axis of rotation in adirection such that the second axis of rotation of said object and saidfirst means is ap proximately perpendicular to the first axis ofrotation of said object, means mounted for engagement and disengagementwith the surface of said object as it rotates about said first andsecond axes of rotation, and a means for coordinating the mechanicalmovement of said first and second means such that the entire surface ofsaid object can be worked upon by said third means.

2. The machine of claim 1 wherein the first means comprises four pairsof spaced rolls arranged in an octahedral configuration such that eachroll may contact the surface of said object.

3. The machine of claim 2 wherein at least one pair of said spaced rollsincludes means for moving said pair of spaced rolls toward and away fromat least one'other pair of said spaced rolls.

4. The machine of claim 2 wherein at least one pair of spaced rolls isconnected to driving means for rotating said rolls about their centralcommon axis.

5. A machine suitable for performing work on the surface of a threedimensional object having a curved surface comprising a first meansadapted to accept, grip, rotate said object about a first axis ofrotation, and discharge said object, said first means comprising fourpair of mechanically driven spaced rolls arranged in an octahedralconfiguration such that each roll may contact the surface of said objectas the object rotates, said first means mounted on a second meanscomprising a rotatably mountedframework adapted to rotate said firstmeans and said object about a second axis of rotation in a directionsuch that the second axis of rotation of the said first means and saidobject is approximately perpendicular to the first axis of rotation ofsaid object, a workpiece yieldingly mounted for contact with the surfaceof said object as it rotates about said first and second axes ofrotation, and means for coordinating the mechanical movement of saidfirst and second means such that the entire surface of said object canbe contacted with said workpiece.

6. The machine of claim wherein each pair of said rolls is carried byand spaced by a common central shaft.

7. The machine of claim 6 including supporting means rigidly connectingthe shafts of two pairs of rolls forming opposite planes of saidoctahedral configuration.

8. The machine of claim 7 where said rigidly connected pairs of shaftspaced rolls are pivotally mounted on said rotatably mounted framework,and including means for pivoting said rigidly connected pairs of shaftspaced rolls to widen and narrow the octahedral configuration of rolls.

9. The machine of claim 5 where said workpiece is a rotary cutter disc.

10. The machine of claim 8 wherein the circumferal surfaces of saidshaft spaced rolls are tapered in a direction central to said octahedralconfiguration, said sur faces further having embedded therein aplurality of spikes adapted to penetrate the surface of the object uponwhich work is being performed.

1. A machine suitable for performing work on the surface of a threedimensional object having a curved surface comprising a first meansadapted to hold and rotate said object about a first axis, said firstmeans carried by and incorporated into a second means adapted to rotatesaid first means and said object about a second axis of rotation in adirection such that the second axis of rotation of said object and saidfirst means is approximately perpendicular to the first axis of rotationof said object, means mounted for engagement and disengagement with thesurface of said object as it rotates about said first and second axes ofrotation, and a means for coordinating the mechanical movement of saidfirst and second means such that the entire surface of said object canbe worked upon by said third means.
 2. The machine of claim 1 whereinthe first means comprises four pairs of spaced rolls arranged in anoctahedral configuration such that each roll may contact the surface ofsaid object.
 3. The machine of claim 2 wherein at least one pair of saidspaced rolls includes means for moving said pair of spaced rolls towardand away from at least one other pair of said spaced rolls.
 4. Themachine of claim 2 wherein at least one pair of spaced rolls isconnected to driving means for rotating said rolls about their centralcommon axis.
 5. A machine suitable for performing work on the surface ofa three dimensional object having a curved surface comprising a firstmeans adapted to accept, grip, rotate said object about a first axis ofrotation, and discharge said object, said first means comprising fourpairs of mechanically driven spaced rolls arranged in an octahedralconfiguration such that each roll may contact the surface of said objectas the object rotates, said first means mounted on a second meanscomprising a rotatably mounted framework adapted to rotate said firstmeans and said object about a second axis of rotation in a directionsuch that the second axis of rotation of the said first means and saidobject is approximately perpendicular to the first axis of rotation ofsaid object, a workpiece yieldingly mounted for contact with the surfaceof said object as it rotates about said first and second axes ofrotation, and means for coordinating the mechanical movement of saidfirst and second means such that the entire surface of said object canbe contacted with said workpiece.
 6. The machine of claim 5 wherein eachpair of said rolls is carried by and spaced by a common central shaft.7. The machine of claim 6 including supporting means rigidly connectingthe shafts of two pairs of rolls forming opposite planes of saidoctahedral configuration.
 8. The machine of claim 7 where said rigidlyconnected pairs of shaft spaced rolls are pivotally mounted on saidrotatably mounted framework, and including means for pivoting saidrigidly connected pairs of shaft spaced rolls to widen and narrow theoctahedral configuration of rolls.
 9. The machine of claim 5 where saidworkpiece is a rotary cutter disc.
 10. The machine of claim 8 whereinthe circumferal surfaces of said shaft spaced rolls are tapered in adirection central to said octahedral configuration, said surfacesfurther having embedded therein a plurality of spikes adapted topenetrate the surface of the object upon which work is being performed.